Valve for hydraulic props of shield-type support frames, and shield-type support frame

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a valve  120 , especially a check valve, for hydraulic plungers ( 3 ) of shield-type support frames in underground mining with a valve housing  121  and a switchable valve insert received therein, connections  126 - 129  for high pressure lines connected to the cylinder chamber and/or the annular space of the hydraulic cylinder  3 , and at least one connection  30  for an additional unit such as a pressure relief valve, a pressure sensor, and/or a pressure display. The valve housing  121  can be mounted to the hydraulic cylinder  3 , and in the mounting stage, the connections  125 - 129  on the valve housing  121  extend axially parallel to the axis of the hydraulic plunger  3 . According to an advantageous further embodiment, the valve housing can be provided with at least one fastening means for an extension housing  40  that can be mounted in a releasable manner to at least one side wall  22 B thereof for additional hydraulic functions of the shield-type support frame (see FIG.  2 ).

The invention relates to a valve, in particular a check valve, forhydraulic cylinders, in particular for hydraulic plungers in undergroundmining, with a valve housing and a switchable valve insert receivedtherein, with line connections for high pressure lines connected to thecylinder chamber and/or the annular chamber of the hydraulic cylinder,as well as with at least one connection for an additional unit such as apressure limiting valve, a pressure sensor, and/or a pressure display,whereby the valve housing can be fixed to the hydraulic cylinder.

Such valves, used for the control of hydraulic plungers at supportframes in underground mining, are for example known from DE 19813909A1.The valve formed as check valve serves to prevent that hydraulic fluidcan inadvertently leak from the cylinder chamber of the hydraulicplunger. The check valve insert is only opened with regard to thecylinder chamber of the hydraulic plunger when hydraulic fluid withdepletion pressure is present in the annular chamber of the hydraulicplunger for the depletion of the shield-type support frame. With theknown valves, the valve housing was regularly provided with lateral lineconnections, which not only resulted in that the high pressure linesbetween the valve and cylinder or annular chamber had to be dimensionedcomparatively long, but which also lead to the drive personnel topossibly be obstructed by the hydraulic lines projecting laterallytherefrom during driving onto the prop with small power of the prop tobe supported by the support frames. With the known arrangement, therealways resulted damages of the high pressure hoses which could lead todangerous situations and which should actually be prevented under anycircumstances.

It is the object of the invention to create a valve of theabove-mentioned type with which the length of the high pressure linesbetween the valve housing and plungers can be limited to a minimum andwith which obstructions of the drive personnel can be avoided anddamages of the high pressure lines can be eliminated effectively.

This object is solved by means of the invention in that the connectionsfor the lines and hoses run axially parallel to the axis of thehydraulic cylinder in its position fixed to the hydraulic cylinder. Itis particularly advantageous if the connections at the valve housing arearranged at the top at the valve housing in its position fixed at thehydraulic cylinder.

This constructive design allows the shortening of the hydraulic hosesbetween the valve housing and the hydraulic cylinder in their length toa minimum. They then cannot anymore project into the drive path andobstruct the operational personnel of the props during the driving ontoit. Damages of the hoses are excluded as far as possible due to theirsmall length.

In an advantageous continuation of the invention, the inner side of thevalve housing facing the hydraulic cylinder in the mounted state of thevalve is adapted to the outer contour of the cylinder, so that the valvehousing can abut the cylinder essentially without a gap. The valvehousing is preferably provided with a recess at its inner side of theplunger side which overlaps a fastening plate arranged at the hydrauliccylinder in the mounted state of the valve. The valve according to theinvention can then be mounted in the way of an exchange instead of anolder present valve, by mounting it to the fastening plate alreadypresent at the plunger. The retrofitting of plungers within the scope ofrepair tasks is thereby possible without a problem.

It is of particular advantage if the fastening plate comprises ahydraulic inlet to the cylinder chamber of the hydraulic plunger.

The valve housing is conveniently provided with at least one transversebore for the reception of a fastening screw which can be screwed into anassociated thread bore at the hydraulic cylinder through the transversebore. Practically, four transverse bores are usually provided for fourfastening screws, with which a simple and safe fastening of the valve atthe plunger can then be carried out.

A particularly advantageous arrangement, as it is space-saving, resultswhen the connections at the valve housing are arranged in at least twostages, with a first, lower stage near the inner side and a secondhigher stage near the outer side of the valve housing. The connectionsin the lower stage are thereby particularly protected between theplunger outer wall and the front connection bank forming the second,higher stage. The arrangement is preferably made in such a manner thatthe connections for the high pressure lines and/or for the pressuredisplay are arranged in the higher stage, which can be reachedparticularly easily, while the connections for the pressure limitingvalve and/or the pressure sensor can be found in the lower stage, sothat the pressure limiting valve and the pressure sensor are arranged ina particularly protected manner. The lower stage can conveniently beformed by countersinks at the upper side of the valve housing, wherebyits production is possible in a simple and fast manner.

Transverse bores for the reception of U-shaped locking clamps arepreferably assigned to the connections respectively in pairs, as theyare known and proven for the securing of the connections of hydrauliclines or hydraulic units in underground mining. The side of the valvehousing facing the connections can comprise a chamfer and the valvehousing can be provided with a recess in the region in front of thehigher stage, whereby both measures contribute to a weight reduction ofthe valve without influencing its reliability in a negative manner.

According to a further advantageous aspect of the invention, theapplication possibilities of the valve formed in particular as checkvalve are improved, in that the check valve, in particular its valvehousing, comprises at least one fastening means for an extension housingmountable in a releasable manner to one of the side walls of the valvehousing for additional hydraulic functions of the shield-type supportframe. By this additional measure, the check valve can be used atvarious shield-type support frames, and at the same time, there consistsan extension possibility for switching or control housings, with whichhydraulic lines and function elements can be coupled to one another forthe control of additional functions at the shield-type support frame. Acondition for the lateral attachment of extension housings is theaxially parallel delivery of the high pressure lines and connections, asonly then there is sufficient space at the side walls of the valvehousing for the fastening of extension housings.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, extension housings for realisingdifferent control functions for the shield-type support frame can beadded here to both side walls of the valve housing. The fastening meanscan in particular consist of thread bores in one or, corresponding tothe preferred embodiment, both side walls of the valve housing.Furthermore preferably, the valve housing comprises a hydraulic outletto the cylinder chamber of the hydraulic plunger at the rear side or atthe bottom side. If the hydraulic outlet is formed at the rear side,particularly in the fastening plate of the valve housing, an additionalhose line can be foregone.

In one embodiment, the extension housing can comprise a hose connectionand connection receptions for function elements for activating a cornercylinder of the shield-type support frame, whereby the extension housingcan in particular have a reception bore for a pressure control valve asfunction element for activating the corner cylinder. The operating modeand the addition of a corresponding pressure control valve foractivating the corner cylinder are known from DE 3504553C1, thedisclosure content of which is referred to herein.

The extension housing can alternatively be provided with connectionreceptions for function elements for controlling a movement of only onehorizontal skid of the shield-type support frame. For this, theextension housing can particularly comprise connection receptions for apressure limiting valve and a hydraulically non-shutting check valve andpossibly a preferably manually operated relief valve. So as to connectthe extension housing for controlling a corner cylinder or the extensionhousing for lifting one of the horizontal skids hydraulically to thehigh pressure lines or connections in the valve housing, one side wallof the valve housing is provided with a shut-off connection boreconnected to the high pressure connection for the cylinder chamber, witha shut-off connection bore connected to the high pressure connection forthe annular chamber and/or with a shut-off connection bore connected tothe hydraulic outlet, so that all switching states of the check valvecan also be coupled into the extension housing depending on the neededfunction. The extension housing is then conveniently provided with aconnection channel arranged flush with the annular chamber connectionbore at the housing wall facing the valve housing. Depending on thefunction to be actuated, the housing wall of the extension housing canadditionally comprise a connection channel arranged flush with thecylinder chamber connection bore or the hydraulic connection bore.

Further preferably, an extension housing provided with a pressureintensifier can be connectable or connected to the valve housing, inparticular at the facing side wall, whereby the pressure intensifierpreferably comprises an oscillating amplifier piston. The pressureintensifier can in particular be formed in its construction and in itsoperating mode as is disclosed in DE 19633258C2, the contents of whichare explicitly referred to here for complementing the presentdisclosure. It is particularly advantageous if the extension housing forthe pressure intensifier comprises connection receptions for a throttlepreceding the low pressure inlet of the pressure intensifier and for apressure reducing valve, so as to keep the pressure level at the inletof the proportional hydraulic pressure intensifier or amplifierconstant. For the addition of an extension housing with pressureintensifier it is of particular advantage if the side wall of the valvehousing comprises a first shut-off connection bore connected to thehydraulic outlet and a second connection bore connected to the highpressure line connection for the cylinder chamber.

The bottom side of the valve housing can preferably comprise a chamferso that the hydraulic plungers can be retracted and possibly loweredwithout the valve housing preventing the lowering movement.

The invention also relates to a shield-type support frame withhorizontal skids, with a canopy, with telescopic hydraulic plungerssupporting the canopys with regard to the horizontal skids, and with acheck valve assigned to every hydraulic plunger, which check valve isformed as described above.

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention result from thefollowing description and the drawing, where preferred embodiments ofthe invention are explained in more detail with the help of examples. Itshows:

FIG. 1 schematically in simplified depiction a hydraulic shield-typesupport frame in side view with a check valve with added extensionhousing secured to the hydraulic plunger according to a firstembodiment;

FIG. 2 a check valve with mountable extension housing for activating acorner cylinder at the shield-type support frame schematically in theview to the front side f the check valve housing;

FIG. 3 a top view of the check valve of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 the hydraulic construction of the check valve and the addedextension housing for the activation of the corner cylinder in ahydraulic block diagram;

FIG. 5 a check valve with an extension housing added to the left foractivating only one horizontal skid and with an extension housing addedto the right for a pressure intensifier in a hydraulic block diagram;

FIG. 6 a check valve according to the invention in a state added to ahydraulic plunger in a front view according to a second embodimentwithout extension housing;

FIG. 7 the object of FIG. 6 in a top view, but without the high pressurelines and, additional units shown in FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 the object of FIG. 6 in a side view.

FIG. 1 shows in a schematically simplified manner a hydraulicshield-type support frame 1 for use in underground mining operations, inparticular in prop operations for the mining of coal. The shield-typesupport frame 1 includes two horizontal skids 2 arranged in a paralleladjacent manner in the initial position of the shield-type support frame1, at which skids is supported a telescopic and hydraulic cylinder orhydraulic plunger 3 loadable with hydraulic pressure on both sides forsupporting the roof canopy 4 with its lower end. A break shield 5 isguided to the roof canopy 4 in an offset manner, which shield isconnected to the horizontal skids 2 by means of respectively two guides6, so as to guide the roof canopy 4 with regard to the horizontal skid 2in an upwardly pivotal manner according to a lemniscate gear. A cornercylinder 7 which can be loaded at both sides is arranged between thebreak shield 5 and the roof canopy 4, with which cylinder the angularposition of the roof canopy 4 can be changed.

For controlling different functions of the shield-type support frame 1,a hydraulic control block 8 and an electronic activating device 9 aresecured to the bottom side of the roof canopy 4, whereby theelectrically actuatable added valves arranged in the control block 8 areactuated by activating signals of the electronic activating device 9. Atthe front side of the cylinder of the hydraulic plunger 3 facing themining thrust is arranged the valve housing 21 of a check valveaccording to the invention designated as 20 altogether, which receives ahorizontal check valve insert in the view according to FIG. 1, and theconnections of which, as can be seen well in FIG. 1, are parallel to theaxis A of the hydraulic plunger 3, so that the hose lines such as thehigh pressure line 11 for the cylinder chamber of the hydraulic plunger3 or the high pressure feed line 12 to the annular chamber of thehydraulic plunger 3 can also be guided to the check valve 20 parallel tothe axis A of the hydraulic plunger 3. As can be seen further from FIG.1, the check valve 20 comprises a hydraulic outlet at the rear sideabutting the cylinder of the hydraulic plunger 3, which outlet leads tothe schematically shown cylinder chamber connection 14 by guide channels13 arranged in the wall of the hydraulic plunger 3. The annular chamberconnection 15 is arranged at the hydraulic plunger 3 at the outside andlaterally thereof. The pressure load of hydraulic fluid to the annularchamber for depleting the hydraulic plunger takes place by a valveswitched separately in the control block 8 as well as by the highpressure line 17 which leads to the check valve 20 and is there divertedinternally to the feed line 12.

The activation of certain functions of the corner cylinder 7 takes placein an extension housing arranged at the rear side wall of the valvehousing 21 of the check valve 20 with further hydraulic functionelements, as well as the hose line 16. A further extension housing 40 issecured to the front side wall of the valve housing 21 of the checkvalve 20 in a releasable manner, in which a hydraulic pressure amplifierwith an oscillating amplifier piston is arranged.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show the check valve 20 in the mounting state at thehydraulic plunger 3, whereby the hose lines and the hydraulic lines arenot shown and no extension housing is secured to the right side wall 22Aof the valve housing 21. The valve housing 21 includes, as shownparticularly in FIG. 3, a front higher stage 24 and a rear stage 25,whereby the line connection 26 for the high pressure line to thecylinder chamber is arranged centrally at the upper stage 24 andadjacent to this are arranged two line connections 27 and 28 for thehigh pressure line and the feed line to the annular chamber of thehydraulic plunger 3. The valve housing 21 further includes a connection29 in the upper stage 24 for a pressure gauge, a further connection 30for a manual control valve, as well as a connection 31 for a pressurelimiting valve and a connection 32 for a pressure sensor in the rear,lower plane 25. The valve housing 31 is provided with a chamfer at thetransition of the front to the bottom side.

All connections 26 to 32 lead to a central reception bore for aschematically indicated check valve insert 34 arranged on the horizontalaxis 33, below which is formed a connection bore 35 which leads to therear or inner side hydraulic outlet 36 of the check valve 20. Theconnection bore 35 is shut with a closure plug 37 at the side wall 22A.The valve housing 21 is secured to a fastening plate, not shown,provided at the hydraulic plunger 3 which grips a recess 38 at the rearside of the valve housing 21, and for the latching of the valve housing21 to the plunger 3, fastening screws are screwed through the transversebores 39 into the fastening plate at the hydraulic plunger 3. The rearor inner side 39 of the valve housing is adapted to the cylindricalcontour of the hydraulic plunger 3.

At the left side wall 22B of the valve housing 21 is secured anextension housing 50 for activating the corner cylinder (7, FIG. 1) ofthe shield-type support frame in a releasable manner, whereby fasteningscrews 18 serve as fastening means, which can be screwed through boresin the extension housing 50 into thread bores 19 at the side wall 22B ofthe valve housing 21. Corresponding thread holes are also formed in theside wall 22A, so as to be able to secure another extension housingthere, as in particular an extension housing with a pressure amplifier.The extension housing 50 includes again a front stage 51 and a rearstage 52 with connection receptions 53 and a hose connection 54 fordifferent function elements for activating the corner cylinder of theshield-type support frame. The connection receptions 53 and the hoseconnection 54 run axially parallel to the connections 26 to 32 in thevalve housing 21 and thereby also axially parallel to the axis of thehydraulic plunger 3. A hydraulically actuatable pressure control valveis arranged in the connection receptions 53 formed at the upper andlower side of the extension housing 50 and a longitudinal bore alignedflush therewith, which valve responds during the retracting process of ashield-type support frame, when traction forces are effective on thecorner cylinder and then controls the pressure in the function of apressure limiting valve to a lower adjustment pressure of about 100 bar.The pressure control valve then keeps the roof canopy (4, FIG. 1) in thetaken position, and simultaneously allows an adaption, when, duringconvergence, the angular position of the roof canopy to the horizontalskid changes during the stroke. The construction of such a pressurecontrol valve for the corner cylinder is described in detail in DE3504553C2, which is referred to for completing the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 shows the check valve according to FIGS. 2 and 3 with thepressure control valve 75 arranged in the extension housing 50 in ahydraulic block diagram, and the inner construction of the check valve20 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 is now explained with reference to the blockdiagram. The line connections 27 and 28 for the annular chamber (PB) ofthe hydraulic plunger and the line connection 26 for the set pressurehigh pressure line for the cylinder chamber (P_(A)) of the hydraulicplunger 3 can be seen in the block diagram. The hydraulic outlet 36 tothe cylinder chamber is shown at the rear side of the valve housing 21.A stop valve 70 is connected to the connection 30, a pressure gauge 71to the connection 31, a pressure limiting valve 72 to the connection 29,and a pressure sensor 73 to the connection 32. At the right housing wall22A, the connection bore 35 connected to the hydraulic outlet 36 as wellas the connection bores 61 connected to the line connection 26 are shutby closure plugs, not shown further. The check valve insert 34 isarranged between the connection bores 35, 61 and thereby between thehigh pressure inlet 26 and the hydraulic outlet 36, which insert canonly be hydraulically opened with hydraulic fluid for the annularchamber (P_(B)) at depletion pressure. The connection bore 61, aconnection bore 63 connected to the high pressure line connection 28 forthe annular chamber, as well as a control channel 64 connected to thehydraulic outlet 36 and the connection bore 35 lead to the side wall 22Bof the valve housing 21, where the extension housing 50 with thehydraulically switchable control valve 75 is arranged. In the extensionhousing 50 are formed connection channels 55 leading to the housing wall57 flush with the connection bores 64, 63 leading to the side wall 22Bfor actuating the pressure control valve 75 and 56, so as to be able tocontrol the corner valve in the desired manner. A connection to theconnection bore 61 is not needed for the extension housing 50, and isshut.

FIG. 5 shows a check valve 20 in a further block diagram, at the valvehousing 21 of which is secured an extension housing 40 with a pressureintensifier at the side wall 22A, as well as an extension housing 80with function elements for reaching the lifting of a horizontal skid atthe side wall 22B. The check valve 20 comprises the same connections andfunction components as described with reference to FIG. 4, so that a newdescription will not take place here. A first connection channel 42 isarranged in the extension housing 40, which is secured to the side wall22A of the valve housing 21 by fastening screws, at the housing wallfacing the valve housing 21, which connection channel is aligned in aflush manner with the connection bore 61 which leads to the highpressure connection 26 for the cylinder chamber of the hydraulicplunger, and a second connection channel 43 is formed which is alignedin a flush manner with the connection bore 35 which leads to thehydraulic outlet 36. The connection channel 42 forms the inlet and theconnection channel 43 forms the outlet for a pressure intensifier 44with an oscillating amplifier piston, not shown further, as is forexample described in DE 19633258C1. A pressure limiting valve 45 and athrottle 46 are preceding the pressure amplifier 44 hydraulically,whereby these are also arranged in the extension housing 40. Hydraulicfluid can be amplified to almost any high pressures with the pressureintensifier 44 proportionally to the pressure level at the inlet 42.

The extension housing 80 secured to the side wall 22B by means ofsuitable thread screws includes a hydraulically non shut-off check valve81, which can be opened if it is actuated with hydraulic fluid with aset pressure for the cylinder chamber (PA) of the hydraulic plunger bymeans of the connection channel 82 which enters the connection bore 61at the housing wall 87. In the closed state, the check valve 81 shuts aconnection channel 83 which is formed flush with the connection bore 63which leads to the high pressure line connection 28 of the annularchamber. A stop valve 84 is assigned to the check valve 81 in suitableconnection receptions at the extension housing 80 and a pressurelimiting valve 85 in a further connection reception, and the extensionhousing 80 comprises a line connection 86 to the annular chamber of thehydraulic plunger. A horizontal skid can be lifted with the functionelements arranged in the extension housing 80.

The check valve designated as 120 in its entirety in FIGS. 6 to 8 againserves for actuating a hydraulic plunger 3 of a hydraulic support frame,as is used for the prop support in underground mining. The valve 120 isnot provided with an extension housing for controlling additionalfunctions in the shown example of the embodiment.

The check valve 120 consists essentially of a valve housing 121 and aswitchable valve insert received therein, the axis of which isdesignated as 133 and which is arranged in the valve housing 121 in anessentially horizontal bore. The valve housing is provided withconnections 125, 126, 127, 128 and 129 for various high pressure lines112, 111 as well as for additional units, in the present example for apressure limiting valve 212, a pressure sensor 213 and a pressure gauge214, whereby the arrangement is implemented in such a manner that allconnections 125 to 129 are at the upper side 215 of the valve housingand are aligned axially parallel to the axis 216 of the hydraulicplunger. The various connections are thereby arranged with differentheights in two stages at the valve housing 121, whereby the connection128 for the pressure limiting valve 212 and the connection 129 for thepressure sensor 213 are arranged on the first, lower stage 117 near theinner side 180 of the housing 121 facing the hydraulic plunger 3, whilethe three connections 125; 126, 127 for the two high pressure lines 112,111 to the cylinder chamber and to the annular chamber of the hydraulicplunger 3 and for the pressure gauge 214 are arranged in a row next toone another at the higher stage 124 situated nearer to the outer side190 of the valve housing. The lower stage 117 does thereby not passentirely through the entire width of the valve housing 121, but isformed by countersinks 210 which are respectively inserted from the twosides of the valve housing up to a depth which permits the reception ofthe plug parts of the units to be connected.

So as to secure the high pressure lines 111, 1112 and the further units212, 213, 214 to the connections 125 to 129 with their respective plugparts 112′, 111′, 212′, 213′, 214′, they have transverse bores 222respectively arranged in pairs assigned thereto, into which can beinserted U-shaped locking clamps 223 which fit into grooves in the plugparts with their two legs in the inserted state and lock these in apositive manner in the connections, as is known in mining hydraulics.

It can be seen that the valve housing 121 is secured to the hydraulicplunger 3. For this, it is provided with a recess 224 at its inner side180 on the side of the plunger which is adapted to the outer contour ofthe plunger 3, which recess overlaps a fastening plate 175 arranged atthe hydraulic plunger 3. The fastening plate is formed in the mode of adovetail guide tapering upwardly in a trapezoidal manner and the recess224 is adapted to this form. The valve housing with its recess 224 canthereby be slid from above onto the fastening plate 175, until the sidesurfaces 176 or 177 tapering in a trapezoidal manner come together inabutment during the sliding process from the recess 224 or fasteningplate 175 and then prevent a further sliding. The laterally projectingdovetail-shaped front edges 178 of the fastening plate prevent then thatthe housing can be pulled off laterally transverse to the axialdirection of the plunger.

So as to secure the housing 121 additionally to the plunger, it isprovided with four transverse bores 139 which are flush with threadbores arranged in the fastening plate when the valve housing is slidentirely onto the fastening plate with its recess. Fastening screws canthen be screwed into the thread bores at the fastening plate through thetransverse bores.

For saving weight, the valve housing is provided with a chamfer 130 atthe bottom or front side facing the connections. For the same reason, arecess 231 is provided in the region in front of the higher stage,which, together with the chamfer 130, cater for a particularly light adcompact construction as well as only a small projecting construction ofthe check valve from the cylinder surface.

It can be seen, that, by the arrangement of all connections 125 to 129at the upper side of the valve housing, the high pressure lines and theother units to be arranged thereon project axially parallel to the axisof the hydraulic plunger from the valve housing which permits to shortenthe length of the hoses to the cylinder and annular chamber of theplunger with regard to the known arrangements, and which in particulartakes the hoses out of the drive path of the operational personnel, sothat obstructions of the personnel is avoided and the danger of damagingthe hoses is reduced.

From the above description result a number of deviations for the expertwhich are to be included within the scope of the protection of thedepending claims. None or the above-described extension housings can besecured to the check valve in an approximately arbitrary combination;furthermore extension housings with other functions could be secured.The check valve can be provided with more or less connection bores.

1. A check valve, adapted for use with hydraulic cylinders, the valvecomprising a valve housing and a switchable valve insert receivedtherein, with at least one connection for a high pressure line connectedto at least one of a cylinder chamber and an annular chamber of thehydraulic cylinder, the valve further comprising at least one connectionfor an additional unit selected from the group consisting of a pressurelimiting valve, a pressure sensor, and a pressure display, wherein thevalve housing is fixable to the hydraulic cylinder, and wherein theconnections run axially parallel to the axis of the hydraulic cylinderin its position fixed to the hydraulic cylinder, the inner side of thevalve housing facing the hydraulic cylinder in the mounted state of thevalve is adapted to the outer contour of the hydraulic cylinder, thevalve housing is provided with a recess at its cylinder-side inner side,which overlaps a mounting plate arranged at the hydraulic cylinder inthe mounted state of the valve.
 2. The valve according to claim 1,wherein the mounting plate comprises a hydraulic inlet to the cylinderchamber of the hydraulic plunger.
 3. The valve according to claim 1,wherein the connections at the valve housing are arranged at the top atthe valve housing in its position fixed at the hydraulic cylinder. 4.The valve according to claim 1, wherein the inner side of the valvehousing facing the hydraulic cylinder in the mounted state of the valveis adapted to the outer contour of the hydraulic cylinder.
 5. The valveaccording to claim 1, wherein the side of the valve housing facing theconnections comprises a chamfer or the bottom side of the valve housingcomprises a chamfer.
 6. A check valve, adapted for use with hydrauliccylinders, the valve comprising a valve housing and a switchable valveinsert received therein, with at least one connection for a highpressure line connected to at least one of a cylinder chamber and anannular chamber of the hydraulic cylinder, the valve further comprisingat least one connection for an additional unit selected from the groupconsisting of a pressure limiting valve, a pressure sensor, and apressure display, wherein the valve housing is fixable to the hydrauliccylinder, and wherein the connections run axially parallel to the axisof the hydraulic cylinder in its position fixed to the hydrauliccylinder, the connections are arranged in at least two stages at thevalve housing, with a first, lower stage near the inner side and asecond, higher stage near the outer side of the valve housing.
 7. Thevalve according to claim 6, wherein the connections for the highpressure lines and/or for the pressure display are arranged in thehigher stage.
 8. The valve according to claim 6, wherein the connectionsfor the pressure limiting valve and/or the pressure sensor are arrangedin the lower stage.
 9. The valve according to claim 6, wherein theconnections at the valve housing are arranged at the top at the valvehousing in its position fixed at the hydraulic cylinder.
 10. The valveaccording to claim 6, wherein the inner side of the valve housing facingthe hydraulic cylinder in the mounted state of the valve is adapted tothe outer contour of the hydraulic cylinder.
 11. The valve according toclaim 6, wherein the side of the valve housing facing the connectionscomprises a chamfer or the bottom side of the valve housing comprises achamfer.
 12. A check valve, adapted for use with hydraulic cylinders,the valve comprising a valve housing and a switchable valve insertreceived therein, with at least one connection for a high pressure lineconnected to at least one of a cylinder chamber and an annular chamberof the hydraulic cylinder, the valve further comprising at least oneconnection for an additional unit selected from the group consisting ofa pressure limiting valve, a pressure sensor, and a pressure display,wherein the valve housing is fixable to the hydraulic cylinder, andwherein the connections run axially parallel to the axis of thehydraulic cylinder in its position fixed to the hydraulic cylinder,comprising at least one fastening means for an extension housing whichis mounted in a releasable manner to one of the side walls of the valvehousing for additional hydraulic functions of a shield-type supportframe, the extension housing comprises a hose connection and connectionreceptions for function elements for actuating a corner cylinder of theshield-type support frame.
 13. The valve according to claim 12, whereinthe extension housing comprises a reception bore for a pressure controlvalve as a function element for actuating the corner cylinder.
 14. Thevalve according to claim 12, wherein the extension housing is providedwith connection receptions for function elements for controlling amovement of only one horizontal skid of the shield-type support frame.15. The valve according to claim 12, wherein the valve housing comprisesa hydraulic outlet to the cylinder chamber of the hydraulic cylinder atthe rear side or at the bottom side.
 16. The valve according to claims12, wherein the hose connections and the connection receptions areaxially parallel to the hydraulic cylinder.